SEQ 2032 Olympic bid boost from first meeting of Leadership Group

The Prime Minister’s representative for the South East Queensland (SEQ) Olympic campaign, Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien, said the first meeting of the Leadership Group in Cairns on 8 August provided a significant boost to securing the Games for Queensland.

“A Team Australia approach is essential if SEQ is to be successful and today’s meeting was a strong start,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Next month we’ll head to Lausanne, Switzerland to hold our first meeting as group with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, with all levels of government and the AOC committed to pursuing a 2032 games for SEQ.”

The Cairns meeting, convened and chaired by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, was attended by Mr O’Brien, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Cr Adrian Schrinner, and AOC President John Coates AC who make up the leadership group.

Mr O’Brien said he was confident SEQ could demonstrate to Mr Bach and the IOC it had the experience and capacity to host the Games with events to be staged across the region.

“Queensland is a sporting state and locals have already started enthusiastically embraced the idea of an Olympics across the SEQ region.

“Events on the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, in Brisbane and elsewhere would see a uniquely Queensland Olympics while showcasing the State to the rest of the world.”

Mr O’Brien said the Leadership Group will oversee preparation for the proposal to the IOC as well as necessary planning in areas including infrastructure.

“It is significant that recent changes to the Olympic Charter have been aimed at minimising both the cost to pursuing the Games as well as hosting an Olympics with an emphasis on using existing and temporary venues,” he said.